Voldemort's Daughter
by Saragath
Summary: The new girl is dark and mysterious but good natured. She reminds Harry of someone but it couldnt be true. This girl has a dark past and an even darker future ahead of her.
1. The New Girl

The Sorting ceremony had just ended and the feast had begun when the two double doors at the entrance of the Great Hall opened revealing Filch, the Caretaker, two very important looking people, and a rich looking young witch. Almost everyone stopped talking and watched as the trio made their way to the staff table and Professor Dumbledore. The two adults looked straight ahead, but the young woman carefully studied her surroundings and tried to keep up with the other two, which seemed to be in quite a hurry.  
  
Professor Dumbledore stood and greeted the two older people and began talking rapidly to them. The younger one took notice of the whispering of the students and frowned.  
  
"Who is that?" Ron Weasely asked his two best friends, Hermoine Granger and Harry Potter, at the Gryffindor table. For once Hermoine didn't know the answer and just shrugged. Harry stared at the girl and was struck with déjà vu. Her wavy dark brown hair and matching eyes looked very familiar, as well as her pale skin and structure of her face. She was very beautiful, but in a creepy sort of way.  
  
The girl noticed Harry staring at her and looked at him. As soon as their eyes connected his scar burned. It wasn't bad but he couldn't stop himself from touching it and wincing. The girl raised a dark and perfect eyebrow and returned her attention to Dumbledore, who was now listening intently to the older people.  
  
Over at the Slytherin table, Draco Malfoy took notice of the new girl too. He could tell she was wealthy from the robes she wore, which were dark red velvet. However, the witch and wizard in front of her didn't look as well dressed. They were wearing shabby robes of a deep olive green color and their hats were just as bad. Draco could see a crest on their robes and realized they were from the Ministry.  
  
"Who do you think that is?" Pansy Parkinson said suddenly, making Draco jump. He shrugged and watched as Dumbledore ushered the girl into a small room beside the staff table. The other people were hurrying away without so much as a glance back at the girl. They looked scared.  
  
Ashley was confused as to why she was being transferred to Hogwarts. She was happy at her old school in America. The headmaster here seemed really nice though, except for the worried look in his eyes when he peered at her behind those half-moon spectacles. A couple of seconds later a woman with grey hair tied in a tight bun at the bas of her neck came in carrying the famous Sorting hat the two Ministry people told her about.  
  
"Good evening, Miss Stratus. I'm Professor McGonagall." She said. "I'm deputy-headmistress as well as Head of Gryffindor House and instructor in Transfiguration." Ashley shook hands with her silently and looked at the hat.  
  
"Minerva, I think it is time to sort her. She must be awfully hungry and tired after her long trip from America. Your old school was Hadenfield Academy, was it not?" Dumbledore said and smiled as she nodded.   
  
McGonagall placed the hat on Ashley's head gently and stepped back. "Hmm," It said, making her jump. "Just as hard as sorting Mr. Potter. Don't know where to put you. Hard to determine if you belong in your father's house or you mother's. Let's see…"  
  
The hat took a couple more seconds at deciding and shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
Professor McGonagall led Ashley out of the small room and called to someone at the Gryffindor table. A girl with bushy brown hair hurried forward and smiled at Ashley.  
  
"Hermoine Granger, I want you to meet your new fellow Gryffindor, Ashley Stratus." Hermoine and Ashley shook hands. "Now, I want you to show her around for me after you all eat, okay?"  
  
"Yes, Professor." Hermoine said and motioned for Ashley to follow her as she went to her table.  
  
There were a lot of introductions until she finally got to eat. One boy, named Ron Weasely, was very curious and asked a lot of questions. Ashley tried to answer them as good and accurate as she could.   
  
"You're an American then?" asked the same boy who stared at her earlier. She learned that his name was Harry Potter. He had black hair and green eyes and was tall and skinny. He also wore glasses but they made him look even cuter than he already did. Some people were surprised that she had never heard of him. They told her all about him while he sat there uncomfortably. They told her about how he was the only person to escape the Avada Kedavra curse and defeat the darkest wizard of their time. He was only a little baby then too!  
  
"Yes, but I was born here. I've been living with a couple in America since I can remember. Er, my parents died see, so I never knew them. A while back the couple died and the Ministry of Magic in America thought it would be best to send me back to my birth land." That was the most she had talked since her adopted parents had died and she blushed.  
  
"Wow! So you're an orphan just like Harry!" Ron said, only to be elbowed by Hermoine. "Ow!"  
  
Ashley laughed. "Yeah, I guess so." The two boys started talking about some game called Quiditch and Ashley leaned closer to Hermoine and whispered. "Who is that blonde boy over there?"  
  
Hermoine looked and scowled. "Draco Malfoy. Evil little git. He thinks only purebloods deserve to live. He seems not to be able to keep his eyes off of you."  
  
"I've noticed. That's why I asked." She said and finished her soup.  
  
The next couple of days were the greatest for Ashley. She became really good friends with Hermoine, Ron, and Harry, as well as others like Neville Longbottom, Lavender Brown, and the Weasely twins, Fred and George.  
  
"Woodbayne and brustles…" she muttered to herself one day in the Great Hall while studying. There weren't that many people there so she was sure she'd get some studying done. Boy, was she wrong. As soon as she closed one book and opened another someone sat down in front of her. She looked up to the face of the boy named Draco. He had slick blonde-white hair and silver-like eyes.  
  
"I haven't introduced myself." He said. "My name is Draco Malfoy You must be that Stratus girl people are talking about."  
  
"Yes, I am." She replied.  
  
"Is it true they teach the dark arts at your old school?" he asked. Ashley gave up on studying and shoved her things in her bag.  
  
"Maybe they do, maybe they don't. Why are you talking to me anyway?"  
  
He smirked. Ashley stood and began walking outside but he followed. When they reached an empty corridor he stopped her.  
  
"I just wanted to see what was so great about you American witches."  
  
"Oh, you do don't you? If you come closer I'll tell you." She said and he fell for the bait.  
  
She put her face beside his and said, "Ready?" Then kneed him in the stomach, but not hard enough to do damage. Draco doubled over and grabbed his stomach. Ashley sighed and helped him up. She didn't mean to hurt him.  
  
"Hey, you wanted to know! Us American witches have great self-defense. Um, I didn't mean to hurt you…" she put her hand on his shoulder and gasped.  
  
There was darkness all around her. She could see people in black cloaks with their hoods up and hey wore masks. They were circling around her while chanting some strange song.  
  
"Hey are you okay?" Draco's voice dragged her out of her vision.  
  
"Um, yeah, I'm fine." She said as her eyes focused.  
  
He grinned. "I knew I was breathtaking but bloody hell!"  
  
Ashley looked into his silver eyes and frowned. Draco said something about having to meet someone and took off.  
  
The next day was cloudy but fairly warm. Ashley was sitting in the courtyard with her friends when Professor Snape, the Potions Master, came over.  
  
"Miss Stratus. I need to see you for a moment" he said and looked at Harry with hatred in his eyes.  
  
"Yes, Professor?" she asked when they were about a hundred feet away.  
  
"There's someone here to see you. Follow me." He said.  
  
When they got to their destination, Ashley saw a man with long white-blonde hair pacing the hall. Professor Snape cleared his throat and walked off. The man stopped pacing and faced Ashley. He was wearing quite fancy clothes and looked exactly like Draco.  
  
"Miss Stratus, I presume?" he asked in a cold but welcoming voice and held out his hand.  
  
"You may call me Ashley." She said, taking it.  
  
"I am Lucius Malfoy. How do you like Hogwarts so far?" he asked.  
  
She took her hand back. "Fine, I like it fine. What do you want?"  
  
He smirked. "I want to talk to you about your father."  
  
"My father?"  
  
"Yes, I want to talk about Tom Riddle." 


	2. Secrets Revealed

The name rang a bell, but she couldn't think of where she'd heard it. The man named Lucius waited patiently for an answer. She just then noticed the walking stick he held. The top had a silver serpent's head on it. It creeped her out.  
  
"Yeah, so that's who he was?" she asked, unsure about what she should have said.  
  
"Yes, he was a very powerful wizard. You look exactly like him when he was your age. Though," Lucius looked at the Gryffindor patch on her robe. "He was in Slytherin."  
  
"So why do you want to talk about him. He's dead just like my mother. He's nothing."  
  
Lucius raised an eyebrow. "She may be dead but he is not. Now if you will excuse me, I have somewhere I need to be. I will see you soon, Ashley Riddle." And he walked off.  
  
-----  
  
Ashley couldn't stop thinking about what Lucius Malfoy had said. She was supposed to be doing a report for History of Magic but couldn't concentrate. It was late so she was alone in the common room. She must of fell asleep.  
  
There was a faint sound of someone sobbing coming from behind her but she didn't turn to see who it was. She wouldn't have been able to because of the fog all around her. It made the place she was at seem gloomy even though the sky was a warm blue.  
  
A twig snapped and suddenly there was a man kneeling in front of her. His hair and eyes were the same color as hers but something was wrong with his eyes. Every once in awhile they would flicker red.  
  
"My daughter, I want you to know this. I will return for you someday. I will return to claim you and kill that Potter boy from the prophecy. Then you can join me and become the highest ranking of my Death Eaters." He said quietly in a surprisingly high voice.  
  
She just stared at this man who called himself her father numbly as he kissed her cheek and disappeared in the fog, his robes billowing in a non-existent wind.  
  
-----  
  
Ashley awoke with a start and realized there was someone standing in front of her. She recognized the untidy black hair and glasses.  
  
"Hello Harry." She said sleepily, stifling a yawn.  
  
"Hi, er, shouldn't you be going to bed?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, I guess I should. See you tomorrow."  
  
"Goodnight…"  
  
-----  
  
"So tell me about this game called Quiditch. It sounds intriguing." Ashley asked the next day in Charms class.  
  
They were supposed to review all of the charms they had learned the previous year but Ashley wanted to know about the game. Harry smiled and launched into a fully detailed description of it. She was right it did sound fun.  
  
"Hey! There's an opening on the Gryffindor team! We need a new Chaser. Want to try it?" asked Harry excitedly.  
  
"Sure, but you will have to help me out."  
  
The four friends set out after Charms to the Quiditch pitch to practice. Harry explained that the Chasers job is to try to get the Quaffle, a red ball, into one of the three hoops. It sounded simple enough but Harry also warned her that the opposite team would try to steal the ball to make their own goal. They practiced for like an hour until they called quits. Ashley had no idea how she did.  
  
"You were great!" said Ron. "I only got the Quaffle away from you once. You should try out for the team later! When are the tryouts, Harry?"  
  
"In an hour actually. What do you think? Are you going to try out?"  
  
Ashley blushed. "Sure, why not?"  
  
-----  
  
She ended up making Chaser. It was a good feeling. All of the Gryffindors congratulated her when they got back to the common room. They patted her back and shook her hand and the Weasely twins even gave her a Chocolate Frog.  
  
After awhile the noise settled down and everyone went to his or her dorms to sleep. Ashley sat in one of the armchairs and grinned at the fire that was blazing in the fireplace. She only then noticed that she wasn't alone. Harry sat down in front of her with a sigh.  
  
"You did great. We are definitely going to win the Cup this year." He said.  
  
"Yeah, that would be cool."  
  
Their eyes locked. She was trapped in those green depths and couldn't get out. He finally broke contact and looked away while touching his scar.  
  
"I still can't get over that visit from that Lucius Malfoy guy."  
  
Harry's head shot up. "Lucius talked to you? What about?" he looked serious now.  
  
"My so-called father. I don't know why though. The man's dead. Why do you look so serious, Harry?"  
  
"Lucius is a Death Eater. He works for Voldemort."  
  
Ashley's mouth formed an "O" shape. Harry once told her that Voldemort was the dark wizard that killed many people, including Muggles, as well as his parents and almost him. The name alone sent shivers racing down her spine.  
  
"So who's your father? How would Lucius know anyway?" asked Harry.  
  
"I don't know. He said the dude's name was Tom Riddle, or something."  
  
"TOM RIDDLE!" yelled Harry.  
  
He launched into a story about his second year here at Hogwarts and how he found out that Tom Riddle was actually Voldemort. Ashley was stunned into silence. Memories came flooding back and she once again saw that man kiss her cheek and say that he would return for her.  
  
"My father is Lord Voldemort, the darkest wizard of this time…" she whispered. It couldn't be true.  
  
"That's why you look like him." Said Harry. "And every time our eyes meet my scar hurts."  
  
"I'm tainted!" Tears poured down her cheeks and she ran to her dorm and sank into her soft bed. She cried herself to sleep that night. 


	3. UnControllable

Ashley still couldn't believe her father was Lord Voldemort. It was unreal. For the last few days Ashley had been avoiding everyone. Everytime someone would wave at her or come closer she would back away and leave. She didn't want to taint anyone.  
  
It was almost dinner time and Ashley was studying in a quiet corner of the library. She was trying to find some information about Voldemort when she heard a sound behind her. She quickly whirled around and found herself face to face with Lucius Malfoy.  
  
"Good evening Ashley." He said and raised his wand. "Don't worry, this wont hurt."  
  
There was a flash of yellow light and Ashley went numb all over. The next thing she knew she was walking to the main hall where everyone was eating. She couldn't feel anything. She tried to lift her arm but it wouldn't budge yet she kept on walking and sat next to Harry at the Gryffindor table. Harry looked at her sympathetically and continued eating. Ashley tried to force her arm to pick up some food but it wouldn't budge. She couldn't even move her eyebrows. 'Oh god, what is happening to me!' She thought.  
  
Hermoine said, "Ashley, are you okay?" and she nodded.  
  
Everyone finished eating and left the table. Harry paused while leaving and looked back at her and then continued on his way. Ashley found herself following him until she was alone in the dark hall with only him. He turned around and called her name but she couldn't answer. She raised her wand and glared.  
  
"Time to die Harry Potter!" she whispered and started to say a curse when her words choked. She was finally breaking through the spell. When she broke free she crumbled to the ground and Harry ran to her.  
  
"Ashley? What's going on? Ashley!" he said.  
  
"I'm so sorry Harry...V-Voldemort!" she said and everything faded to black.  
  
----------------  
  
It was the next day and Ashley awoke in the hospital room. She was all along except for the nurse.  
  
"Good morning Miss Stratus! If you are feeling well you can go now." She said.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Mr. Potter was here a few minutes ago. He looked very worried. Oh, and Professor Dumbledore wanted to speak with you as soon as possible." The nurse said and went her way.  
  
Ashley decided to see Harry first. She found him in the Gryffindor common room alone and sat inf ront of him.  
  
"Ashley! Are you feelign better?" he said in concern.  
  
"Yes, I feel better but there's something I have to tell you."  
  
"No, it's okay. I know it wasn't you who attacked my last night. Well, it was you but not the real you."  
  
"Yeah, I was being controlled. I'm so sorry." Ashley said and started to cry.  
  
"It's okay." Harry said and put his arms around her. "It wasn't your fault."  
  
"Yes it was!" she said and pulled back. "Right before I came down to dinner I was in the library when all of the sudden Lucius was in front of me! He said, 'Don't worry this ont hurt' or something like that and I saw a yellow flash of light and the next thing I knew I couldn't even move and eyebrow! It's like he was controlling my body and I was stuck inside. Oh Harry I was so scared."  
  
"I know, I know. I've been through that before also." He said and once again put his arms around her and let her weep on his shoulder. A few minutes went by and she finally stopped.  
  
Ashley looked up at Harry's face. Her tears were drying on her cheek. "Harry, I have to leave here. I am too much of a danger to you and everyone. I must go."


	4. Running Away

"Go? Go where?" Harry asked.  
  
"Away. Anywhere! I don't know. Away from eveyrone so I wont hurt you all." Ashley said and started to play with her shoe strings.  
  
"You didn't hurt anyone though. All you did was give me a scare."  
  
"Yes, but what about next time! Next time I could really kill you! I dont want that to happen because I..." Ashley trailed off.  
  
"Because you what?" Harry asked.  
  
"Because I like you Harry. I like you a lot." Ashley said and looked down.  
  
"Er, wow. I, er, I like you too. I just never had the guts to tell you. Especially when I learned your father was my worst enemy."  
  
"Yeah, sorry 'bout that. Well," she sighed. "I better go pack. Eh, I don't need anything. I'll just go with what I have."  
  
"Wait, you're forgetting something." Harry said and kissed her. Ashley stepped back and her eyes went wide.  
  
"Wow, I have to go...now!" Ashley said and ran out of the common room.  
  
Ashley got pretty far through the castle until she heard footsteps in the dark behind her. She whirled around and to face Draco Malfoy. He had his famous smirk on his face.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?" he asked.  
  
"Away. Far away."  
  
"Are you running away? Why?"  
  
"Because I almost killed someone because of your father! He controlled me and almost made me kill Harry." She said and tears welled up in her eyes.  
  
"Heh, well be careful. My father might just be waiting for you outside that door."  
  
"I don't care." She said and continued walking.  
  
Ashley twirled around and made her way out the doorway. She was about ten feet away from it when she ran into something. Looking up, she saw Draco was right. Lucius Malfoy WAS waiting for her.  
  
"Good evening Miss Riddle. I have orders to bring you with me. Please don't struggle. It wont do you any good." He said and escorted her into a carriage pulled by two bat-winged black horses with red eyes. It seemed as if all the stars went out when the carriage door closed. Ashley sighed and lied back on a cushion.  
  
-------------------  
  
Somewhere along the way Ashley fell asleep in the carriage. She must of slept hard because when she awoke she was in a dark room lit by blue-flamed candles. She could barely see portraits hanging on the walls. She couldn't make out any faces in those frames. A noise caught her attention and she looked out in front of her. There was a man sitting on a stool and he was wearing a black cloak that covered everything. She could barely see his face.  
  
"My daughter, oh how I have been waiting for this moment. You are so lovely and so...pure, but we will fix that. I was so fortunate that Lucius found you wandering around the castle at night. What were you doing out alone?" Voldemort asked in his high voice.  
  
"I was running way so I wouldn't hurt anyone."  
  
"Hurt anyone? But that's what you're good at! Remember that couple that took you in as a foster child in America?" he asked gently and cupped her hand in his. His hand was dry and was flaking. It made her sick to her stomach at the feeling.  
  
"Yes,"  
  
"Ever wonder what happened to them?"  
  
"They died. They just died. I didn't do it!" Ashley screamed and his hand closed tighter on hers.  
  
"No, they didn't just die. You killed them. My daughter, you killed them with your powers. And you were only 12! I am so proud of you."  
  
"I-I killed them? I don't remember. My memories are so blurry."  
  
"Yes, those Ministry officials erased your mind. They didn't want you to remember it. They didn't want you to remember me either. They wanted you to think you were just some normal witch. But you arent Ashley Marie Riddle. You are mine! And now...you shall be my top ranking Death Eater." He said and smiled. Ashley pulled her hand out of his and he frowned. His eyes flashed a fiery red.  
  
"No, I dont want to be a Death Eater. I just want to go home."  
  
"You are home. You are where you belong. With me!"  
  
Ashley quickly pulled her wand out of her pocket and muttered the worst curse she knew at Voldemort. She didn't wait for him to react but ran. She heard a scream and a hissing sound but continued to run. She ran even when her legs were burning with pain and her lungs felt dry. She ran until she was far away from wherever she was. At first she heard persuers but she outran them and heard absolutely nothing. She got so tired that she conjured a broom with her wand and flew the rest of the way to Hogwarts. This time she was going to stay for good.  
  
Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait for new chapters. You will have to wait for a while again until I gte some more ideas. Ciao! 


End file.
